Changing For A Better Story

Changing For A Better Story

“The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.”

-Muhammad Ali

Like the proverbial frog slowly brought up to a boil, we are often immune to gradual change. Asked how we are different from yesterday most of us could not see many differences. Even at a week or a month much of who we are may appear the same. Looking back from year to year we can begin to detect the changes. How was I different last year? Five years ago? Ten years ago? As Muhammad Ali notes, the answer must never be “no different”. An essential component to being human is the constant changing of our core selves. The best stories, whether fiction or non-fiction, movie or book, are those in which the characters change, become people their former selves would barely recognize. Take your favorite story, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, the Hunger Games, or any other. The most compelling aspect of that story is the dynamic nature of the main character, watching them morph and change as events unfold. Take your own story, your life. How have you changed? How have I changed? Have we changed in a way that makes a great story? Or are we mired in a static bog of routine and comfort? The great news is that the end of our stories has yet to be written and the opportunity for change and growth waits.